Structural and electrical properties of calcium and strontium hydrides

Abstract

The conductivity behaviour and structure of CaH₂ and SrH₂ have been studied and compared to the behaviour of samples reacted with a monovalent hydride, NaH. The created hydride ion vacancies are expected to enhance hydride ion conductivity and give more insight into the conduction mechanism. The observed conductivity behaviour is correlated with structural data obtained from neutron powder diffraction on both undoped and doped hydride materials. It was found that only small amounts of sodium could be doped on the Ca/Sr sites in the hydride lattices, namely ∼0.1 mol%. Despite the low solubility, the formation of hydride ion vacancies has a significant effect on the conductivity behaviour of SrH₂, most importantly enhancing the low temperature hydride ion conductivity. The formation of hydride ion vacancies does not seem to enhance the ionic conductivity in CaH₂